Archive for October 2015

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[ecrea] 2nd DiscourseNet spring school on the Critical Usage of Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Software in Discourse Studies

Wed Oct 07 01:32:39 GMT 2015





INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The second DiscourseNet Spring School will focus on the Critical usage of Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed-Method Software in Discourse Studies. The goal is to explore and experience the possibilities and limitations of software usage in discourse related research. As such, this school seeks to foster both critical awareness and knowledge about the way software can (not) be used in this interdisciplinary field of inquiry. All information can be found at http://dns2.discourseanalysis.net .

SPRING SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENT

Technology is never neutral. The design and usage of any technology are always informed by implicit and explicit presuppositions about data, knowledge, reality, meaning, interpretation and subjectivity. Technologies shape and transform the objects it operates on ñ no matter if these objects are things or people. Keeping this principle in mind, this school offers a unique opportunity for beginning researchers to present their questions, doubts and ideas on using software in their discourse related analyses.

We welcome researchers from all field - linguistics, literature, ethnography, anthropology, communication studies, sociology, political science - interested in critical perspectives on discourse, on methodology, and on discourse analysis. No prior knowledge about these tools is required. The goals is to get acquainted with a variety of options for doing digital discourse analysis. A non-exclusive list of topics to be covered includes: What can one expect from software in discourse studies? Wherein lies the added value, if any? And how does one realize this value to the fullest? What kind of theoretical, heuristic and methodological issues need to be addressed when using software in discourse studies? How can one use software tools in order to investigate the dispersion and functioning of discursive and ideological processes such as argumentation, identification, interpellation, hegemonization and so on? To what extent can we go beyond ëmere codingí and ëcountingí when using quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods software packages?How can we use software tools to explore the various linguistic, multimodal and knowledge-related dimensions of discourse? How and when does one decide about whether to use software in discourse studies? And if so, what (kind of) package should one use? How can we use software in order to identify, explore and/or rearticulate ideologies, hegemonies and other large-scale discursive patterns in data? Does the usage of software provide an added value in our search for implicit meanings in linguistic and multimodal forms of discourse? How can software be used in order to visualize quantitative and/or qualitative patterns in discourse?

We provide an introduction into key theoretical, heuristic and practical issues regarding research design in computer-assisted discourse analysis. We offer three interactional workshops focusing on the use of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods software in discourse studies. After each workshop, participants will present ongoing research projects so they can receive feedback from fellow researchers.

Candidates may work with data as varied as interview transcripts, focus groups, ethnographic observations, multimodal and/or mediatized data from quantitative and qualitative perspectives. We aim for a diverse group of participants working with a variety of perspectives ranging from interactional and pragmatic approaches to discourse to the more abstract poststructuralist discourse theories, and anything in between and beyond.

The deadline for application is October 31st. Students may expect a decision on their application on November 15th. The spring school itself takes place from March 21st to March 24th. More information and registration instructions can be found at: http://dns2.discourseanalysis.net .

Note that prior to this Spring School, the 17th DiscourseNet conference on Reflexivity and Critique in Discourse will also take place at UNAV from March 16th to March 18th. This conference has been organized as a collaboration between DiscourseNet and the Public Discourse (GRADUN) project of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) at the University of Navarra (UNAV). If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jan Zienkowski at (discoursenetspringschool /at/ unav.es) .


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